


The Headband

by elizabethemerald



Series: ATLA Stories [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:14:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25005250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizabethemerald/pseuds/elizabethemerald
Summary: Combustion Man hunts Team Avatar. When Katara can't escape one his explosions, Azula comes to her rescue, facing one of her worst fears in the process.
Relationships: Azula/Katara (Avatar)
Series: ATLA Stories [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768270
Comments: 15
Kudos: 168





	The Headband

**Author's Note:**

> Bit of a shorter one. I just wanted to see Azula blasting the explosions out of the air with her lightning. She's willing to face the fire if it means keeping Katara safe.

“You guys aren’t going to believe this, but it sounds like a metal man is coming towards us!” Toph said, sitting bolt upright. The rest of the Gaang struggled awake. Katara could see that Toph’s eyes were wide as she listened to the movement through the earth. 

*Pop* *Pop*

Aang could only react on pure instinct blasting almost a hurricanes worth of air, knocking everyone back from the explosion. Katara was thrown on her back. The rest of the group ran for cover. Toph stomped on the ground sending a wave of stone towards their assailant. 

*Pop pop*

The second explosion shattered the stone raining them all in rubble. Katara jumped to her feet emptying the nearby creek bed to send the water crashing up the cliff face. 

*Pop pop*

This explosion blasted the water into steam, covering the area in a fine fog. 

“How are we supposed to fight someone who can cause explosions with his mind?” Sokka asked, his voice cracking. 

*Pop pop*

Katara didn’t hear Aang’s response. She could only focus on the shock wave that cut through the fog, directly towards her. She tried to pull water from the fog to protect herself, but it was too spread out to stop the explosion. A flash of light flew past her face and the explosion detonated early. Even as a wave of heat swept over her, Katara could smell the familiar scent of ozone. 

*Poppop*

Another lightning bolt streaked past her, targeting the explosion. Katara turned to see Azula, lightning crackling at her finger tips. She bent more lightning towards the cliff detonating another explosion before it could get close to them. Azula’s eyes were wide, her breathing fast and irregular. Yet she still stood fast before her worst fear that often paralyzed her. 

*Pop pop* *Poppop*

Katara ran. The others were throwing everything they had aboard Appa in a hurry to get out of there. Aang jumped over them all to lead their assailant away. Azula finished repelling the last two explosions then collapsed to her knees. Katara grabbed her as she passed, and dragged her to Appa. 

Zuko helped the two of them get aboard the skybison before he jumped on board himself. They took to the air, following the distant explosions until they saw Aang flying ahead of them. Appa swooped low and caught him and they soared away. 

“Who was that guy?” Toph asked. 

“An assassin or mercenary hired by my father, most likely.” Zuko muttered, glaring behind them to make sure there were no more trailing explosions. 

Katara sat down next to Azula, taking her hands. Azula was shaking like a leaf, terrified of the fire the bender had unleashed against them. She slowly stilled as Katara allowed some of her water to flow around her hands, breaking Azula out of her shock. 

“Thanks” Katara whispered. “You saved my life.”

Azula nodded. Silent as ever. And as Appa flew away from this mysterious assassin, she leaned just a little bit closer to Katara, each settling into the comfort of the other. 


End file.
